In the thirty-eight hours since the revelation that the princess of two worlds was alive, it felt as though Eko's life had slipped through her fingers. Events had unfolded in ways she could never have anticipated, information that rocked her to her core, leaving her spinning in a haze of disbelief and desperation.

Now, as the morning sun rose on the third day, she stood in front of the mirror in her wing at the palace, her gaze fixed on her reflection. Dark circles shadowed her tired eyes, and the weight of sleepless nights clung to her shoulders, her hands on her stomach where the once promise of life was there and now devastatingly ripped from her, the doctors confirming she had miscarried their baby amongst the chaos.

She doesn't know if Matthew knew, she doesn't know if anyone has told him, it's not like had slept since everything had come crashing down, her mind trapped in a relentless spiral of questions, guilt, and grief.

Eko stared into the mirror, trying to swallow her tears as more memories surged forward, unbidden. She thought back to her arrival at Allegiant, the one place that had always felt like home. It was where she'd found her heart, where happiness had blossomed, and where she believed she could take shelter from the storm that now raged around her.

But sanctuary had proven elusive. By the time she managed to explain the situation to the group, her world had already unraveled beyond her control. Toni, his frustration boiling over, had stormed off before she could finish, unwilling or unable to process what she had done. Jesse's voice had risen in sharp argument, every word laced with anger and disappointment. Teshia and Vause, their patience worn thin, had simply declared this wasn't their place and disappeared back to Allegiant without a second thought.

Mya had been just as furious as Jesse, her sharp words cutting deeper than Eko expected, while Richie—of all people—had tried to play the mediator. His attempts to cool the charged atmosphere had done little to settle the high-octane emotions flying between the group. Everyone had been pushed to their limits, the weight of the revelation crushing what little stability remained.

When they finally agreed to return home, Eko, Jesse, Mya, and Richie appeared in the grand halls of Allegiant, expecting the familiar sanctuary of their home. Instead, they were met with an imposing sight. Palace elite guards lined the hallways, their presence oppressive and unyielding. Servant maidens from the palace hovered in clusters, their downcast eyes adding to the tension. Toni stood off to the side, shaking his head as if he had anticipated this, and most unnerving of all, the royal board awaited them. Young members of the appointed royal court stood flanked by stern-faced high officials, their expressions cold and unreadable.

It was the high officials who stepped forward, delivering the message that blindsided Eko more than anything else: she was to return to the palace immediately. As their words sank in, she watched in a daze as guards and maidens moved toward into Allegiant's ground further, she swallowed the sickening thought with their intent clear. Toni's guiding hand directed them toward the elevators, his silent gaze filled with something she couldn't quite interpret—pity, frustration, resignation. Her belongings were to be packed and transferred to the palace without delay.

Eko didn't have the willpower to argue. Deep down, she knew—if this was happening, it could only mean Matthew was behind it. That realization broke her heart even more, a fresh wound atop the chaos already unraveling her.

The whirlwind of activity around her became a haze. Every sound was muffled, every movement around her sluggish, as if the world had slowed to a crawl while she stood frozen in place. She barely registered the guards speaking, their clipped tones distant and blurred, like echoes in an empty chamber.

Before she fully understood what was happening, she was being ushered toward the docks where a ship awaited her. The brisk wind off the water should have jolted her, but even that felt numbed. Her mind refused to focus, unable to process the enormity of what was happening.

All she could do was nod at the guards' instructions, her body moving on autopilot. She was going back to the palace, whether she wanted to or not.

And the thought of it crushed her.

Her energy was drained, her body wracked with nausea from the emotional toll. It was too much. Her life had been set ablaze, and she had neither the strength nor the clarity to confront the fallout. Maybe, she thought, sleep would help. Maybe, with a quieter mind and an easier heart, she could begin to face the wreckage she had created.

An hour later, during her check up it was then that Jesse arrived, the doctors had finished theirs examination and already delivered her the brutal blow.

The nausea, the vomiting, the mood wings all of it was connected, it all meant that she was pregnant. The words barrowled her over, but the words that followed next crushed her. The blood connected because she miscarried, she wasn't strong enough to protect their baby, in this cruel world, with all their powers, they still lost the tiny soul they created.

It was then that Jesse entered on the news, and in truth it's what took the edge off Jesse's anger towards her.

Eko thought the crushing news would end there but it didn't, Jesse had gone onto explain that the crystal that powered Allegiant—the heart of its defenses—was now under her command, accompanied by instructions she couldn't ignore. It was to be used to protect Isadora, to power the defense network, and to oversee the implementation of SIO at the palace.

The weight of those directives settled heavily on her, but what horrified her more was the sense of disconnection that gnawed at her. Every attempt to find Matthew, to reach him through their bond, had ended in frustration. His powers were absent, their connection severed, leaving her feeling more alone and vulnerable than ever before. A chain of events had been set in motion beyond her control, and helplessness consumed her. A deep-seated fear churned in her chest, unshakable and raw.

Late that night, when Eko's spiraling emotions had reached the brink of hysteria, Jesse finally broke her silence. Her voice was steady but laced with tension as she revealed the truth: they didn't know where Matthew was. He was missing. Toni was out looking for him, but that was all they knew. It was all Jesse could offer.

The revelation hit Eko like a blow to the chest. Her first instinct was to go searching for him herself, to tear apart every corner of the realms until she found him. But the rational part of her held back, restrained by a deeper understanding of Matthew's fury. She could already anticipate his anger—the simmering rage that would surely surface in the weeks ahead when the full extent of her lies and secrets came to light.

Eko knew she had crossed the line. Matthew's tolerance for deception had always been thin, and this time, the magnitude of the secret she had kept was undeniable. She had betrayed him in ways she couldn't begin to justify, and the weight of that betrayal settled heavily on her heart, threatening to crush her even further.

Over the days, sleep had become a distant memory, slipping further away whenever Eko sought refuge from her guilt. Ever since she had used the crystal, her body felt foreign, as if she were losing control of herself entirely. A deep, persistent illness gnawed at her, leaving her weaker and more drained with each passing day.

The palace doctors had run countless tests, their concern evident as they informed her that all of her results were alarmingly elevated. They didn't know about the crystal—Mya had ensured that secret stayed buried. Even as their identities had been partially exposed, they had managed to keep Eko's hidden. Yet Mya, who had sat through every consultation with the doctors, couldn't ignore the likely culprit. The crystal—the true one Eko held—was doing something to her. Something none of them fully understood. It seemed to be siphoning her energy, spiraling her further out of control, demanding more than her body could give.

It was only after reluctantly accepting medication from the on-site doctors, more willingly now she knew that there was no baby and it was all the crystal at that point. It's only then that she managed a few precious hours of rest. But now, as she stood in front of the tall, floor-to-ceiling mirror, her weariness was painfully clear. The tired bags under her eyes and the pallor of her skin revealed what little the sleep had done to restore her.

Her new maidens, ever insistent, had coaxed her into taking a long shower that morning, attempting to revive her spirits. They'd styled her hair into a sleek topsy tail, her blonde locks cascading over her shoulders and resting against her chest. The sight of her blonde hair still caught her off guard, a startling change after a year of living as a brunette. It felt like another reminder of how much her life had shifted—and how little control she had over any of it.

She narrowed her sky-blue eyes at her reflection, inspecting the corseted beige dress that clung tightly to her frame. The intricate design cinched her waist and highlighted her curves, but it felt more like armor than attire. This was not how she had imagined her week unfolding. This was not where she wanted to be.

She should have been preparing for the gala event that evening—a fundraiser for the new school being built on the southern continent of Isadora. She should have stayed in bed and done the blood work and found out she was pregnant, she should have done more to protect their baby. She knew something was wrong, so why didn't she do anything about it? It wasn't just her life she was playing with.

she stood, staring at a version of herself she barely recognized, the guilt was insurmountable.

and while she was dealing with grief the last three days had been nothing short of chaos. Pandemonium seemed to follow her every step, either in the form of people invading her space or others recoiling in fear, overwhelmed by the weight of her title as their future queen. Some civilians and loyalists, out of deep reverence, dropped to their knees the moment they saw her. The reactions were extreme no matter where she turned—fear, awe, devotion. It all blurred together into a cacophony she couldn't escape.

If the chaos wasn't coming from those within the palace walls, it was outside, where the citizens of Isadora swarmed the palace like a relentless tide. They camped at its entrances, their eyes wide with reverence, their chants rising like a hymn. To them, she wasn't just their queen-to-be—she was their savior, the one destined to take the throne and lead them into a new era.

The chanting and celebrations stretched on for twenty-one non-stop hours. It became a deafening roar, one that clawed at her sanity with every passing moment. The jubilant festivities felt oppressive, suffocating, a constant reminder of the expectations she could never hope to fully meet.

Finally, Eko had done what she had to. She ordered her guards, along with Allegiant's assigned forces, to escort the people away from the palace gates. It was a calculated decision, necessary to prevent panic and riots. Yet the weight of her choice settled uneasily in her chest, a reminder that even when she acted in their best interest, the consequences were far-reaching.

Now, taking a steadying breath, she fidgeted with the necklace around her neck, twining the chain between her fingers as if seeking comfort from its cool weight. Gathering her courage, she glanced at the mirror once more. In the reflection, one of her closest friends sat on an oversized pink sofa chair behind her, tablet in hand. Jesse's focus was sharp, her fingers moving quickly across the screen. The red-haired woman was undoubtedly swamped with work, no doubt juggling the fallout of recent events.

"Jesse?" Eko called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jesse's head snapped up, her gaze cool and impassive. Eko knew she was still furious—the tension between them was like live wire, even in silence. Jesse's sharp green eyes fixed on her, void of emotion, though Eko could sense the storm that brewed beneath her friend's composed exterior.

"Have you heard from him at all?" Eko asked, her voice trembling with a hint of desperation.

She knew Jesse only had a few hours left before Jasmine would take over her position. Soon, Jesse would return to Allegiant while Eko remained trapped within the gilded walls of the palace, shielded from the world as they tried to anticipate their enemy's next move. The thought of her friend leaving weighed heavily on her, intensifying the isolation she already felt.

"Don't, Eko. We've talked about this," Jesse said with a weary sigh, her tone firm but edged with sympathy. It was the same answer she'd given countless times before about the man she considered her brother.

Her loyalty to him placed above all.

"Please?" Eko's voice cracked, her desperation spilling over as her eyes welled with tears. "Jesse, you have to know something. Please, please!" Her voice broke into a whimper, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

Jesse paused, placing her tablet in her lap. Her expression softened, though her jaw tightened as she tried to find the words.

"God, Jesse, please," Eko sobbed, her voice trembling. "I do need to talk to him. To tell him if you haven't, we have things we just ... need to talk about."

Jesse relented with a quiet exhale, her heart breaking for the woman before her. "Toni found him," she said finally, her tone gentle but measured, the most she could offer. "He knows. And...He's ... functioning."

Eko dissolved into fresh tears, and Jesse looked away briefly, giving her friend a moment. She knew the weight of Eko's grief—she'd seen it that morning when Eko had poured out the entire truth. Between the sobs and broken words, she had explained why she had made the decisions that had driven Matthew away, the spiraling circumstances that had unraveled beyond her control. Jesse believed her. She believed Eko had done what she thought was necessary to survive.

But belief didn't erase the damage done. It didn't mend the fracture in Eko's marriage. It didn't change the way their love—so consuming, so transformative—had left them unrecognizable, fractured shadows of themselves, it didn't erase the fact that they lost a child in the process of her lies and deceit.

"Can I know more then just... he's functioning... what does that even mean?" Eko pressed, clinging desperately to the hope that, this time, the answer might be different.

"Eko, you know I can't," Jesse replied, her tone soft but heavy with regret.

The response forced Eko to turn back to the mirror, her fingers absently adjusting the corseted beige dress that clung tightly to her. She had an hour before she was due to meet with the royal board and the present Kings and Queens of the head of state. They were eager to finalize a coronation date, pressing for their Queen of the Two Worlds to take her place at the table and set a date for her ascension—sooner rather than later.

"Just...  it's a lot for him, for you, for everyone," Jesse said, setting her tablet aside. Her gaze softened as she watched Eko, torn between her own desires and the weight of her responsibilities. The strain was written all over her—every trembling motion, every uneven breath. Each hour seemed to weigh heavier on her, the cracks in her resolve growing more visible.

"I love him; that was never, ever a lie," Eko said, turning abruptly on her heel. Her bottom lip trembled as she met Jesse's gaze. "I wanted my whole world with him, Jesse. I love him. You need to tell him that. Please? Please! Tell him to come home."

Jesse rose from her seat, stepping forward and taking Eko's hands in hers. She squeezed them tightly, her expression softening. "We both know he loves you," she said gently, offering a small, knowing smile. There was no doubt in her mind about the depth of their love. "But you hurt him. You really did. You have been so many things and I never thought this is where we ended up, this is who you were."

"I'm still me," Eko begged.

"You are the crowned Queen of the Two Worlds. And no one knows how to deal with that, let alone how we fit into it. It's a shock to the system for all of us."

"Did he tell you that?" Eko asked, her voice barely a whisper as her eyes searched Jesse's for answers. "Is that how he feels? How you feel?"

The red-haired woman pressed her lips together, hesitating before speaking. According to Toni, who had finally tracked Matthew down off-world in one of the outer districts hours later, he had been drinking heavily and was barely coherent, and in a fit of rage they hadn't seen since they were kids in the orphanages.

Toni had pieced together just enough to know that the board had canned him for his actions, yet it was like pulling teeth at why they had insisted on Matthew's attendance under strict conditions—accompanied only by himself and his lawyers.

Jesse knew that if Toni was worried, she should be too. But this was information she wasn't ready to share with Eko—not yet. Eko would undoubtedly try to seek Matthew out if she knew, and that was the last thing they needed right now.

Pushing Matthew before he was ready could end disastrously. Jesse had seen it before. When he felt cornered, when he felt like his control was slipping, his reactions were unpredictable and often catastrophic. The last time he'd spiraled like that, he had lost control completely, leaving a path of destruction in his wake.

"Jesse?" Eko's voice broke through her thoughts, weak and trembling as she wiped at her tear-streaked face. Her hands moved to cover her mouth, but the sobs came anyway, shaking her shoulders. "Jesus," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm still the same person. You need to believe that. That I love him... that I would do anything for him, for you, for everyone."

Jesse watched her quietly for a moment, her lips pressed into a thin line. Then, with a measured breath, she released Eko's hands and shook her head gently, her green eyes hardening as they met Eko's sky-blue ones.

"Jesus, Eko," Jesse said softly but firmly, her voice cutting through the air like a blade, silencing the sobs in an instant. "You are not this stupid, right? You're not the same person. And he knows it. That's the problem."

The words struck Eko like a physical blow, leaving her breathless. Her lips parted as if to respond, but no sound came. Jesse didn't stop, her tone unflinching but laced with the undeniable sting of truth.

"You've grown into someone bigger than yourself, someone the rest of us barely recognize. You're not just Eko anymore—you're a Princess, a leader, a symbol. To Matthew, that's not just intimidating—it's isolating. He loves you. Of course, he does. But he doesn't know where he fits in your world anymore. And until he figures that out, he's going to keep running."

"But I don't want to be a symbol," Eko whispered, her voice trembling as tears streaked her face. "I just want to be me. I just simply want to be with him."

"Jesus, Eko, oh come on!" Jesse snapped, her voice rising sharply as she stepped back, frustration etched into every line of her face. "Stop it!" Her green eyes flared with anger, and her hands balled into fists at her sides. "You lied to us!"

Eko took a step back, stunned by the intensity of Jesse's words. The betrayal in her voice felt like a slap, and Eko could see the pain simmering beneath her anger.

"You lied to Matthew, to me, to the others! After everything we've been through, after everything we've sacrificed for you?" Jesse's voice cracked under the weight of her emotions. "Did you even try to tell us the truth?"

"The truth of what!" Eko's voice rose, the strain and frustration spilling over. She gestured wildly, tears streaming down her face. "That I never wanted the crown? That I never wanted any of this!" Her voice broke as she continued, the words tumbling out in raw, unfiltered anguish. "When I chose to stay hidden, it was because I was done with this life! I'm not good at it; I'm not right for them—for the people, for the worlds!"

"You have no idea what you've done, do you?" Jesse shook her head, dismay etched across her features. "It's not just about us and them anymore. It's about you and Isadora."

"Me and Isadora, what?" Eko hissed, her voice cutting like glass. "You think I'm good for anyone?" She shook her head, pacing like a caged animal. Jesse's mounting frustration only seemed to fuel her spiraling anger. "You have no idea how it feels to have that expectation weighing on you, to have this grief wrapped around your neck like a noose!" Eko's voice cracked, her chest heaving. "And then I had Madison remind me every damn day of what was expected of me, like I was some kind of robot who just needed to push on! But when I found you all—when I met Matthew—I could breathe again. I thought I'd finally found somewhere to heal."

"And what about what we felt?" Jesse snapped, her tone sharp enough to cut through Eko's tirade. "What about the burden you've put on us? On Matthew?" Jesse's eyes flashed with anger, her voice trembling with the raw weight of her own pain. "You act like it's all about you, but you've put him—someone I love very much—through hell. You hid behind him, Eko. You hid behind all of us."

"That's not what I was doing!"

"Maybe not later on with all of this," Jesse fired back, her words biting, "but at the start? You were. You were running, and you found it easier to stay and let us clean up the mess!"

"I stayed because I fell in love with all of you!" Eko cried, her voice breaking under the weight of her emotions. "I stayed because I love Matthew more than anyone else! I stayed because I love you like a sister, Jesse! I couldn't bear the thought of leaving any of you, of tearing our family apart!"

Jesse shook her head, her expression softening, but her voice was no less firm. "But that's exactly what you've done. You tore MY family apart."

Eko's chest tightened, Jesse's words cutting deeper than any blade ever could. Her knees felt weak, her breath shallow, as she choked back another sob. The thought that she might never be able to repair the damage overwhelmed her. Jesse's anger felt like a reflection of how Matthew might feel, and it left her feeling utterly crushed.

"Im so sorry Jesse. I really messed up, i messed up so much with this." Eko wept, her tear-filled gaze darting between Jesse's piercing green eyes. "I know I did, Jesse," she continued, her bottom lip trembling. "And all I can think about is the possibility that I've ruined things so badly that none of you will ever want to speak to me again. That Matthew might never speak to me again. That my whole life with all of you is gone."

"What did you think was going to happen?" Jesse's hardened expression softened as the genuine remorse in Eko's voice broke through and with her statement Eko burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry."

Jesse's tone gentled, though the edge of her frustration remained. "You really fucked this up, you know that?"

Eko sniffled, her red-rimmed eyes lifting to meet Jesse's as she approached.

>>>> leave the anger there and the. Jesse says get dressed and she walks out >>>>

But at the edge of the door before she leaves she flings her head over her shoulder and says.

"someone once told me, apparently fucking is what families do. We mess up, then we figure out how to forgive each other, heal, and move on. Yeah, you fucked up, but it doesn't make you a bad person."

"Teddy?" Eko murmured.

"Matthew," Jesse pursed her lips, and then shaking her head she walked out.

>>> Eko disappeaRs to cape Hope

Eko nodded slowly, the weight of guilt still heavy on her chest as Jesse's words sank in. She turned back toward the mirror, her reflection a painful reminder of the chaos she'd caused.

"Eko, hey!" Jesse's sharp voice snapped her back to reality. Eko blinked, lifting her head to meet Jesse's gaze in the mirror.

"After everything you and Matthew have been through—he won't turn his back on you, okay? None of us will, no matter how pissed off we are. We're not going anywhere. Sometimes family just needs a time out, but we always come back together."

The conviction in Jesse's voice hit harder than Eko expected, and she nodded solemnly, her throat tight with emotion.

Taking a deep breath, Jesse shook her head. "All right. First things first—get out of that dress, get into something slightly more comfortable before your meeting. You look so constrained in it," she said, motioning toward the corset. "I need to speak with your war generals and guards before I leave, and then I'll have the kitchen send up some food. You haven't eaten properly since this all started, and you're still not feeling well from this virus— then with the miscarriage and everything, and now whatever's going on with the crystal. Mya said your body needs to recover, and that starts with making sure you're taking care of yourself, yeah?"

Eko nodded slowly, her gaze following Jesse as she turned on her heel. The click of Jesse's boots echoed faintly through the suite, each step deliberate and sure. When the doors to the wing closed behind her with a soft, definitive thud, a sense of solitude swept over Eko.

The silence was heavy but not entirely unwelcome. It allowed her a moment to breathe, to feel, to let the weight of everything she'd been holding back settle on her shoulders. Her fingers, trembling with a mix of pent-up emotion and the volatile energy of her power, began to spark faintly, glowing with a luminous pulse.

She stared at her hands for a moment, taking a deep, steadying breath, she closed her eyes and focused. The air around her shifted, a hum of energy vibrating through her as she summoned her strength. In the next moment, the opulent surroundings of the palace dissolved into nothingness.

When Eko opened her eyes, she stood in a place that was more than just a location. It was a sanctuary for her soul—a haven untouched by the chaos that had consumed her life. The one place in her entire existence that had remained a constant source of comfort and solace.

The air here felt different, lighter. It carried a sense of peace she hadn't felt in days.

This was the one place that truly felt like home—this was meant to be her home in. The future after all
and
and yet, it seemed that someone else had sought sanctuary here as well.

****

Eko stood in the chill of the evening, the crisp air biting against her skin, a stark contrast to the tempest raging within her. Her powers, once a beacon of strength and control, had dimmed to a faint, flickering ember. Each breath felt hollow as she gazed at the sky—a sullen gray expanse devoid of warmth or comfort. It hung low and oppressive as if reflecting the weight in her chest, a storm that refused to settle.

The ground beneath her feet still carried the faint tremor of her magic, the aftershocks of the upheaval that had unraveled everything over the past three days. Before her stood Cape Hope, her sanctuary in progress—a half-built house of exposed beams and incomplete walls, caught between ruin and potential.

This was supposed to be their future. She had imagined this house as more than wood and stone; it was meant to cradle their dreams—a home brimming with laughter, love that would weather the fiercest storms, and the pitter-patter of small feet on sunlit floors. A sanctuary, a promise, a life shared.

But now?

The shape of her world had become a jagged, incomprehensible puzzle. Her shoulders sagged under the weight of it, and her lungs struggled against the heavy, guilty air. Her white-blonde hair fell around her shoulders, cascading down her back, catching faintly in the evening breeze, its brightness stark against the darkening landscape.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the crunch of his boots on the dirt, didn't feel the burn of his gaze until it was too late.

Matthew stood there, a silent figure at the edge of the clearing, his presence cutting through the stillness like a blade. He hadn't moved closer, hadn't spoken, but the distance between them was a chasm all the same. His face, shadowed by the dimming light, carried an expression that made her chest tighten—a cold, deliberate detachment that only sharpened the ache in her gut.

"Matthew?"